ANGELES CITY – Growing Chinese investments in various islands in Luzon has triggered fears that such investments would serve as China’s “launching pad and expansion of geo-political control in Southeast Asia.”
“Fuga island in Cagayan province, located at the northern tip of Luzon main island, and Grande and Chiquita islands near Subic Freeport in Zambales, are being eyed by Chinese firms to be transformed into economic and tourism zones,” the fisherfolk group Pambansang Lakas ng Kilusang Mamamalakaya ng Pilipinas (Pamalakaya) noted in a statement yesterday.
Pamalakaya urged Filipinos to oppose such “virtual takeover and telecommunicontrol” by China, saying this “would lead to making the country as its launching pad and expansion of geo-political control in the Southeast Asia.”
“China is not satisfied with grabbing the West Philippine Sea. Now China is using its investments to control us and it is clear the design is for political control in the region,” said Pamalakaya chair Fernando Hicap said.
He said that once China gets control of such islands, “it would not be farfetched to think that they would be off limits to Filipinos in the same way that they are driving away Filipino fishermen from the West Philippine Sea.”
‘The island investments are practically an encirclement of the entire Luzon,” he noted.
Hicap said China’s investments plan on the islands could be related to the on-going construction of a Chinese-controlled Philippine off-shore gaming operation (POGO) at the former Island Cove resort island in Kawit town, Cavite.
“Instead of backing peace and stability in Southeast Asia, the government is allowing Chinese dominance in our country and we are not even sure what deal has been reached by the administration with China,” he added.
Hicap blamed the Duterte regime “for its appeasement policy or subservience to China, given that the fishermen victims of the ramming of fishing boat F/B Gem-Ver 1 have yet to be given justice, and now the Luzon main island is being encircled.”
“If we allow these, the Chinese might just target next the areas on the side of the Pacific Ocean and act on their interest in the Philippine Rise off the coasts of Aurora province,” he also said.
